It really doesn’t matter what you believe about the Christian life.

It doesn’t matter what you believe about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the Trinity, heaven, hell, salvation, or the Bible. It doesn’t matter one bit.

The only way your beliefs matter is in how those beliefs impact your life.

Do you live your life according to your beliefs?

The word that most often comes up when our beliefs and our actions don’t match is “Hypocrite.” We say one thing and do another. The people around us pick up on the differences really fast.

I don’t have a problem with the beliefs that make up our Christian faith or our many and assorted Denominations.  Whether you are a part of a denomination or are non-denominational, you are asked if you believe the things the church holds dear.  A firm and hearty “I do” will be enough for you to join most churches.

Are we living our lives according to those beliefs?

As Christians, we believe we should love our enemies, love each other, forgive those that harm us, be merciful, graceful, humble, kind, and patient. Are those qualities visible in the way we live?

Jesus wants our beliefs lived out in front of people. So do the other writers of Scriptures. We are not the people of “Do as I say, not as I do.” We are the people of, “do what I do.” Or as the Apostle Paul writes, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.[1]”

Several years ago Ruth and I went through a “Church Planters Assessment.” It involved a psych exam, testing, and three days of solving problems with other church planters. This was done as a team of evaluators watched. At the end of the three days, each person was brought in for a debriefing and to find the results of their assessment.

One of the first things they told me was that it was obvious that Ruth and I were very much in love. It was cool to know that our love for each was so apparent. Our actions towards each other proclaimed our love better or more clearly than any words we could have used. I am hoping the same is true about my life as a follower of Jesus Christ.

Our lives, more than our words, are on display when we are followers of Christ.

What is your life saying?